But I really have needed to take a break from the med-related stuff and just embrace the most epic of my qualities – the pure, unadulterated geek within.

To be clear, this onslaught of nerdiness stems largely from my recent experiences with The Hobbit (yes, experiences plural – and it came out Thursday night, go ahead and judge me) and the accompanying special Star Trek Into Darkness preview that came along with the IMAX show.

I went to the midnight premiere with IMAX simply because I like the largest freaking screen I can possibly get. And I’m from a small city so it’s still very cool and novel. So for those who’ve never been to a midnight premiere or experienced that kind of insanity, here’s what’s up with that.

A clarification: I’m a part of a ton of absolutely geeky fandoms – Star Wars, Tolkien, Doctor Who, BBC’s Sherlock, Star Trek, pretty much anything involving Benedict Cumberbatch, a small selection of MMORPGs, Merlin, any and all Marvel projects (especially Iron Man), Harry Potter, Pride and Prejudice… and I’m currently wading through a massive Edgar Allan Poe anthology, as mentioned here.

I don’t pretend to be an expert in any one area, but I do tend to dabble in a lot of geekdoms. Jack of all geeks. Or Jess of all geeks. Whichever you prefer. This means my opinion doesn’t have much weight when it comes to debating whether Han shot first or whether Arthur will ever discover Merlin’s secret, but my heart is in it as much as any of the hardcore Trekkers you’ve heard about.

There’s a special sense of belonging that comes with finding your fandom. (Or does the fandom choose the geek?) For me, I tend to fit in best with the Sherlockians and Whovians, since it’s generally filled with intelligent folks about my age who enjoy British humour and clever plot twists. But everyone has a fandom where they potentially will find their nerd-crew.

And being a geek certainly isn’t limited to your stereotypical stuff – you can be an international film geek, an Android geek, a racecar geek, hell, even a hunting geek. Hence my firm belief in the potential for a global geekdom. A place for everyone. So sure, there’s the intellectual side of things when it comes to being a geek.

But that feeling. You get it when the main titles roll or when you start up the game or when you open the book’s cover. It’s a rushing, floating feeling, like you’re levitating a few centimeters off your chair. Attention utterly arrested, you hardly breathe. Your heart beats a little harder. Your head feels light. Maybe your hands tremble a little.

And you just can’t stop smiling.

That’s how you really spot a geek in a crowd. That feeling (“geeking out,” as it were) is so obvious on people’s faces and in their eyes that you can’t help but wonder what the hell is making them so inexplicably happy. Their eyes shine – almost like a child’s.

And maybe that’s what being a geek is all about. Finding that child-like state of wonder, curiosity, and the intense emotional experiences that comes with childhood. Your first heartbreak, saying goodbye to friends, excellent conversation with new ones… all these you experience as a geek as if it were the first time. You become so emotionally invested in the characters, the technicalities, the trade, that it’s like building another life within the grander scheme of things. You create that safe place to become your younger self without judgement or worry or shame. Without all the boring adult stuff, essentially.

So I would encourage everyone to find their fandom, whether it’s My Little Pony or road construction materials. Because, every once in a while, everyone deserves a break from adulthood.

– Atalanta

P.S. – (The Hobbit is pretty awesome. Maybe a tad long, but still great. And if you get a chance, see it in the 48 fps version. It takes a little getting used to, but having seen both 24 and 48, there are some shots that were just meant to be seen in the latter. A very long essay for another time.)

3 responses to “Inside the head (and heart) of a geek”

I would like to say… I am scared. Sherlock: postponed. Doctor Who: I don’t know what’s next besides the xmas special. Merlin: sobbing. Supernatural: shaking. I want to go crawl in a hole and die. The only bright part of the last two weeks was the Hobbit and a shirt I got for xmas that says bowties are cool. I am terrified.

Oh I KNOW. I can only speak for the first 3 (and I’ve yet to watch the last few episodes of DW and Merlin, us Canadians are a bit behind…), but Who shirts for Christmas are totally rad. 😀 But just think happy thoughts like Star Trek’s just around the corner!

Reblogged this on The amazing and fantastic nerd realm and commented:
I saw this and this is my life…. until now. Now, I am a sobbing mess from all the feels that being a Supermerlinwholock brings with it. I am so sad because everything has fallen appart… Merlin… Sherlock… Supernatural… and I’m genuinely scared for Doctor who. So, please…. hug me…

Total geek + family med resident = so much win.

Disclaimer: I am a 1st year resident. Officially I now know some stuff. However, this blog is for your entertainment (including, but not limited to, giggles, snorts of laughter, eye-rolling, fist pumping, and shouting at your computer screen) and is not a good substitute for a visit to your family doctor's office.

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